Real Good Pizza, greater

I’m not that selfless, but it’s the perfect thing to eat on those days when there’s nothing much around to eat, and you’re hungry, and this is just about as good as anything you could imagining wanting to eat anyway. Those days, for, example, when you might just have ordered in a pizza, pre-celiac, pre-primal, pre-keto.

I’ve been working on technique. Following package directions is fine, but I wanted more from the especially yummy crust. Chicken and parm? No need to be pale and flabby. I cooked them on racks trying to get grill marks, I even finished in a skillet, and then I thought of this, my favorite grill pan.

This is a 10″ square Lodge enameled cast iron pan (also available in an identical much cheaper un-enamaled version) with a matching oven-safe panini press that is also great for preheating to make grill marks on both sides of things, like well, panini, or in my case, flattened chicken breasts. It is the perfect size for 2 of Really Good Foods 5″ pizzas.

I preheat the pan, pre-sprayed with cooking oil, while the oven is getting to 425F. A few extra minutes pre-heating doesn’t hurt.

The frozen pizzas, minus packaging, of course, go in. They should sizzle when they hit the pan.

I add some extra oregano, and sometimes parmesan, and bake for 16 minutes.

Rest for 10 minutes.

The reason for all this is this:

Remember the crust is made of CHICKEN! Maillard reaction, anyone?

If you are in favor of the caramelized bottom of a great deep-dish pizza, this is the method for you.

This next batch is not exactly lovely, but it was topped with some leftover mushrooms cooked tapas-style, with thyme and salt. After the mushrooms give up their own liquid, I deglaze with dry sherry and let them suck that liquid back up. The result is darkly flavored moist gems.

And some extra-excitement from @RealGoodFoods? Soon coming in a larger size, Equivalent to two of the single-serve version. Only pepperoni for starters, but can’t wait for the three-cheese and supreme versions.